Without its star Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr snatched a dramatic 3-2 away victory against Damac in a Saudi Pro League clash on Tuesday at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Abha. Sultan Al-Ghannam’s late goal secured all three points for the Riyadh side.
Manager Stefano Pioli opted to rest Ronaldo, prioritising his fitness for the upcoming AFC Champions League quarterfinal against Yokohama Marinos. This decision reflected Al Nassr’s strategic focus on success in the continental competition, particularly with the league title race gone.
The match saw Damac draw first blood in the 18th minute through Ramzi Solan, who finished off a fine cross from the left. However, Al Nassr responded swiftly, with Aymeric Laporte heading in an equaliser from a corner just three minutes later.
The second half became a disjointed affair as both teams struggled to find their flow. Al Nassr’s attack appeared lackluster at times, and striker Jhon Duran, its January signing from Aston Villa, had a quiet game.
Substitute Ali Alhassan injected much-needed energy into Al Nassr’s play, scoring a brilliant goal with a first-time finish in the 70th minute to give his team the lead.
Damac showed resilience, and just a minute later, Nicolae Stanciu levelled the score with a stunning strike.
A contentious moment followed when Abdulrahman Al-Obaid tackled Otavio in the penalty area. Despite strong appeals from Al Nassr players and a VAR review, the referee stood by his original decision and did not award a penalty.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, stand-in captain Sultan Al-Ghannam sealed the victory for Al Nassr with a clever finish from close range.
This win keeps Al Nassr in third place in the league table with 60 points from 29 matches, firmly within the AFC Champions League qualification spots for next season.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com